Selected quad for the lemma: love_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
love_n	good_a	work_n	work_v	5,769	5	7.4409	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A45205	Dorcas revived the second time: or a sermon preached at the funerals of Mrs. Anne Mickle-thwait the one and twentieth of March 1658.	Hunter, Josiah, minister in York.	1656 (1656)	Wing H3765B; ESTC R224179	44,466	48

he that is barren in good works and yet bears high and broad the sail of Profession seems to be afraid lest the World should not take notice of him for an Hypocrite Good works likewise without a knowledge and profession of Christian Religion Splendida peccain are no better than glorious Sins as Augustine calls them no better than the virtues of Heathens Quid vobis ethnici cum virtutibus qui christum dei virtutem ignoratis unto which though we give the name yet they want the nature of virtue For as Bernard said What have you Heathens to do with virtues who are ignorant of Christ the virtue and power of God unto Salvation But where a profession of Religion and a practice of good works are in conjunction they make integrum sanctum an entire sincere compleat Saint Such an one was Dorcas in those days such an one was the Dorcas of our days First in general Full of good works then more particularly and Almes-deeds which she did In general She was full of good works When it is said that Dorcas was full of good works it is not meant that she was perfect 3 Jam. 2. for in many things we offend all and every Sin is a defect Much lesse may we think that She did works of supererrogation They are super-arrogant that think themselves righteous above the Rule As full as Dorcas was I dare say for her blessed Soul that She thought her self empty and barren Ears that are most laden with Corn hang lowest down to the ground and holiest Persons have alwayes the humblest thoughts of themselves Hereby therefore I conceive are meant three things 1. She was full of that is abundant in good works as when it is said 2 Chro. 24 25 that Jehojada waxed old and was full of days the meaning is he grew very old and when it is said of wicked worldly men that they are full of Children 17 Psal 14. the meaning is they have many Children So Dorcas was full of good works that is she was a very good woman and did abound in good works To be full of good works is as much as to be fruitful Dorcas her good works were not few as the gleaning Grapes 24 Isa 13. when the Vintage is done or as the shaking of an Olive Tree two or three Berries in the top of the uttermost bough four or five in the most fruitful branches thereof 17 Isa 5 but she was full of good works like the Vine before it is gathered and the Olive Tree before it be shaken 2. She was full of good works that is She did not only abound but in some sort super-abound considering her condition She did very many good works even beyond the expectation of those that knew her when they compared what She did as they imagined with what She had they would not have thought that She had so rich a Treasury that would have furnished her to expend so liberally They could not but think that her fulnesse of good works abroad would bring her to want at home Yet so it was She did many good works nor did they draw her dry but some way or other She was supplyed that She still did more it is very probable that Dorcas was not a woman of great worldly Estate and if she had not been notable for her good works She might in other respects have lived obscurely enough But whatever her estate was She had a free heart and did not for fear of wanting her self hold back her hand from supplying the necessities of others The Widow that cast her two Mites into the Treasury is said to have cast in more than they that cast in greater gifts 21 Luk. 1 2 3. because what they gave was out of their abundance but she cast in all that she had So Dorcas was full of good works that is She did abound yea she did super-abound comparing her abilities with her expence She did more than she was supposed able to do 3. She was full of good works that is her works were not only abounding but abiding She did not satisfie her self with what good she had done 3 Phil. 13.11 Eccles 6. but still she did more with the Apostle she forgot that which was behind and though shee had done very much good yet still she with-held not her hand according to the injunction 6 Gal. 9 10. Let us not be weary in wel-doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not as we have therefore opportunity let us do good Out of the good Treasure of her heart She was still bringing forth good things 12 Math. 35 She was like the Orange-tree of which they write that it is bringing forth fruit all the year long as some are ripe so others are still budding And as it is said of the Church of Thyatira 2 Rev. 19. her works were more at the last than at the first Hereby She made it appear that she was no Hypocrite who is moved by an external principle and doth his good works only for particular ends and therefore continues not always to do good But She was a sincere Christian whose good works flowed from an inward Principle of grace and were directed to an universal end Gods glory So then Dorcas was full of good works that is She did very much good more than could be expected from such a Woman and thus she continued to her death 24 Mat. 46. and so was one of those blessed servants whom her Lord when he came sound well-doing Good works are sometime strictly taken for works of Charity because that Love is the fullfilling of the Law Aug. lib. 10. de civ Dei ca. 1. hac sibi Deus vel pro sacrificiis vel prae sacrificiis placere testatur God accepts of works of Charity for sacrifices with such sacrifices God is well-pleased 13 Hebr. 16. Yea he accepts them before sacrifices I will have mercy and not sacrifice 9 Math. 13. But oftentimes good works are taken more largely for the whole obedience of a Christian so we are said to be Gods workman-ship created in Christ Jesus unto good works Sure it is 2 Eph. 10. the Law is the Rule of good works and therefore obedience to any branch 1 Joh. 3.4 of the Law is a good work as the breach of any part of the Law is an evil work and as the Logicians say there is no created being but it is reduced into one of the ten predicaments so there is no duty or good work commanded of us but it is contained in one of those ten words 10 Deut. 4. as Moses calls them that is Commandments These good works in other places of Scripture are called good Fruits 3 Jam. 17. Fruits of righteousnesse 1 Phil. 11. Fruits of the Spirit 5 Gal. 2. Fruits worthy of Repentance 3 Luk. 8. and amongst many other expressions they are called armour of light 13 Rom. 12. Good works therefore are

precious to be but drosse and dung in comparison of the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ her Lord. 3 Phil. 7 8. More particularly She was full of the Grace of Faith and therefore notably well acquainted with the promises Pabulum fidei which are the food of Faith A diligent attender on the word Organum fidei 10 Rom. 17. Nutrimentum fidei the instrument of Faith An earnest desirer and a most conscientious frequenter of the Lords Supper the means to increase it and by reading the promises hearing the Word receiving the Sacrament joyned with a special Act of application in them all she had attained to a kind of Plerophorie a full assurance of Faith 10 Heb. 22. When she was now Sick she told me that since her conversion she had at several times many doubts and fears arising in her Heart Satan desired to Winnow her as Wheat but said she my Faith failed not God did enable her still to hold fast her integrity 22 Luk 31.32 2 Iob. 3. and Satans shaking her with his temptations did but help to establish her the more afterwards and well indeed might she hold fast the integrity of her Faith who continued to hold fast the integrity of her Obedience walking as Elizabeth in all the Commandements and Ordinances of the Lord blameless 1 Luke 6. making such Conscience of the discharge both of her personal and relative duties that so farr as I have observed or been acquainted though many Daughters have done vertuously yet she excelled them all The strength of Faith is best judged of 31 Prov. 29. when brought to the Tryal And I shall never forget her deportment under the sad death of her most dear Husband Mrs. Stillington When I took upon me the boldnesse to ask her in private her Daughter being then only present whether she did under this affliction doubt of Gods Fatherly love or whether the guilt of any Sin but those which are called Sins of dayly incursion Quotidianae incursionis Te●t pressing her Conscience did render the affliction more bitter her answer was she did not doubt she was assured of Gods love She looked on God at that time as an angry Father but she had ever found him and then knew him to be a loving Father And for the guilt of any Sin pressing her Conscience she acknowledged that her infirmities were many 1 Nehem. 11. 119 Psal 5. and though her desire was to fear Gods name and to direct her wayes according to his Statutes Yet she was defective in many things and fell short of her duty that was her grief of her desire likewise that was her comfort but she professed that her Conscience did not accuse her of any wicked or willful disobedience 119 Psal 104. 119 Psal 6. she hated every false way and had respect unto all Gods Commandements at all times 79 Psal 8. only she feared that in this affliction God might remember former iniquities long since committed which it may be she had not throughly humbled her self for I asked her then why she was so sorrowful the substance of her reply was that she thought a more than ordinary measure of sorrow was in such cases lawful being warranted out of the Scripture by the examples of good men and also convenient to express the sense of Gods hand upon her but yet she desired she said and would endeavour so to restrain her grief that it might neither offend others nor dishonour God Being thus full of the grace of faith she could not but be full of love seeing faith where it is works by love A great lover she was of the ordinances 5 Galat. 6. a lover likewise of Gods people her delight was in the Saints of the earth in her eyes a vile person was contemned 16 Psal 3. 15 Psal 4. Christum hospitantem in Augustino but she honoured them that fear the Lord where she saw any thing of Christ she loved the person as Ambrose loved Christ dwelling in Augustine I think one of the greatest arguments of a mans love to Christ is when it puts him upon endeavours to gain others to the love of him and in this very thing she spent most of her time wherein through Gods blessing she laboured with such successe that beside her natural daughters I doubt not but she hath many other daughters in the faith 1 Tim. 1.2 who may arise up and call her blessed such whom she was a special instrument either to beget unto Christ 31 Prov. 28. or afterwards to build up in their holy faith She was full of the spirit of prayer and supplication in which duty she was very frequent according to the injunction of scripture 12 Za. 10. 4 Colos 2. 1 Thes 5.17 and though she was not an Euchite so as to neglect all other duties of her calling yet she remembred that all things are sanctifyed by prayer 1 Tim. 4.5 and therefore would never omit it Nazianzen would have men so much in this duty that they might be able to shew the wounds of the knees 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and there is a figure in the Heavens which Astronomers call in the knees Sure I am this Gentlewoman if any might have shewed the wounds of the knees for set aside her private and family devotions I have seen her my self once twice more than the third time in private meetings use this gesture for four or five houres together and though age and her infirmities might have tolerated her another posture yet I have observed to my admiration that for so long time she hath seldome changed her gesture when others more young and strong have made use of their liberty to sit or stand 12 Rom. 12. It is not enough that we be frequent in prayer unlesse fervent no more did this servant of God think it The Orator said once of the Athenians comparing them to men running up an hill they breath much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but have little strength so many men in prayer breath much but have little strength whereas Basil would have us with an holy impudence to make God ashamed 32 G●n 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he cannot look us in the face if he deny our importunity Such a powerfull faculty had this Gentlewoman in prayer as I have heard those that lived with her acknowledge and admire One thing of her practise in this duty I may not omit and that is she used to go to prayer with her children alwayes about five of the clock in the afternoon and then examined them and because she was sensible how much the welfare of the Church depends upon Gods guidance of the Governours thereof therefore in her devotions she never forgot to pray for the King and taught her Children while they were yet young to do so 1 Tim. 2.2 She was full of humility which is the grace of all other graces